1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of physical therapy and in particular to the use of physical therapy in the treatment of individuals with nerve damage or nerve impairment. In particular to the use of a software and hardware interface device in the use of therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Physical injuries often cause limited motion to the person injured. For example, an impact as may incur in a football game, car accident or other accident may cause damage to the nerves that control the arms of an individual. It has been shown that extensive exercise, along with other physical therapy can be extremely helpful in reestablishing control of the individual muscles and helping to stimulate the healing and recovery of the patients.
Various physical therapy regimes currently exist in order to aid a person having damage that limits their muscle control. The physical therapy includes such things as encouraging the patient to work certain muscles, move their arm or hands or other digits in certain manners, as well as other well-known techniques published in the art.
Physical therapists currently provide significant assistance to patients recovering from such accidents and injuries. Typically, physical therapists will work with the patient on a regular, frequent basis, e.g., two or three times a week, conducting a one or two hour physical therapy session with the patient. During this session, the physical therapist assesses the individual patient's range of motion and strength. In addition to the assessment, the physical therapist will then outline a preferred set of exercises in order for the patient to gain further control and finer tune movement of the various muscle groups which have been affected by the injury. Normally, the physical therapist will provide an exercise regimen for the patient to undergo while the physical therapist is not present. It is quite common for the physical therapist to demonstrate the exercises to the patient and coach her in their execution to ensure that the patient understands them properly, and then request that the she carry out the exercise a number of times each day. For example, the patient might be instructed to move an arm through a certain range of motion ten times for ten repetitions at three separate times during the day. During the next visit, the physical therapist will assess the current status of the patient and whether she has improved her range of motion. The physical therapist will then make a determination whether the patient should continue the current exercise or whether the patient has progressed to the point where additional exercises should now be prescribed in order to provide further improvement for the patient. The physical therapist will continue to work with the patient, prescribing advancing sets of exercise regimens in order to provide greater and greater challenges in order to restore her limbs to full mobility.
Unfortunately, the physical therapist does not currently have a way to easily monitor the exercises that the patient performs during the time between visits. Further, the amount of effort put into the exercises cannot be easily measured without the use of expensive exercise and tracking equipment which may include some extensive sensors which must be customized to each individual patient and thus are cost prohibitive.